With reference to India.

आपको यह जानकर आश्चर्य होगा कि गुजरात में आज १;००० लड़कों के सामने ८४० लड़कियों का जन्म होता है। अर्थात् १६० लड़कियाँ कम पैदा होती हैं। आप विचार करें कि यदि ऐसा ही चलता रहा तो आगे चलकर परिस्थिति कैसी होगी? १;००० पर १५० लोग कुँआरे घूमते फिरेंगे समाज में कुटुंब के दो पहिये के रूप में स्त्री और पुरुष के समान सहयोग की बात सदियों से हमने स्वीकारी है। समाज में पुरुषों की संख्या अधिक हो और नारी की संख्या कम हो तो; कैसी स्थिति पैदा होगी; इसका हम अंदाज लगा सकते हैं। भ्रूण-हत्या का पाप केवल गुजरात में ही नहीं; हिंदुस्तान के कोने-कोने में फैला हुआ है।

Collection of articles and lectures of chief minister of Gujarat, India; some previously published.

The Last Mile explores the gaps and dichotomy between drafted policies and their implementation, and the last mile challenges which often make public services inaccessible to the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society. It provides an in-depth overview of the dynamics between communities, research and consultation and the implementation of policies for development. Rich in empirical data and case studies from different government programmes and reports, this book examines the implementation of government service programmes for poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, and income generation for the poor, among others, from a people’s perspective. It highlights the need for policies and institutions to align their methods to community needs. Offering guidelines for redesigning as well as solutions to counter challenges related to lack of trust and effective communication, human resource management, capacity development, redressal mechanisms, and facilitating the last mile connection, the author delineates effective ways for integrating new technologies in policy implementation. The book also addresses legacy issues in institutions and re-orienting policy for better governance, transparency, and building trust. Part of the Innovations, Practice and the Future of Public Policy in India series, this book, by a senior practitioner, will be an essential resource for students and researchers of development studies, sociology, public policy and governance, economics, and South Asian studies. This book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Is Narendra Modi’s government innovative and free of vote-bank politics? How did Narendra Modi bring 24-hour, three-phase domestic power supply to 18,000 villages in Gujarat? How did Modi turn the forlorn Kutch into a top tourist destination? One of the most hotly debated topics in this general elections has been the development and governance of Narendra Modi’s government in Gujarat. In Centrestage, Uday Mahurkar tries to present a balanced assessment of Narendra Modi’s government by uncovering and analysing the Modi mantra of governance. With chapters on energy, technology, agriculture, finance, and innovation to name a few, Mahurkar aims at understanding and revealing the ground reality through facts and research beyond the media hype. Has Gujarat really made progress under Narendra Modi? Is Narendra Modi really a visionary and a good administrator? Read Centrestage to find out and get an insider’s view of Narendra Modi’s governance from a man who has followed him closely for the past three decades.